Lyttelton Ferry, Canterbury, New Zealand

Black Cat Cruises Introduction

Lyttelton is the main centre for anyone living or working on Banks Peninsula, and is the base for Black Cat Cruises Diamond Harbour and Quail Island ferries.

Visitors can spend a fascinating half or full day exploring Quail Island and learning about it's history. There's also a beach, which is ideal for swimming or picnics.

The Diamond Harbour ferry is the perfect way to get to the seaside town, where highlights include historic Stoddart Cottage and scenic walks to Purau Bay or Mount Herbert.

The company has won many awards, including the Supreme Award at the New Zealand Tourism Awards 2003/4, making Black Cat Cruises one of New Zealand's top tourism operators.

From Akaroa, Black Cat Cruises offer scenic harbour cruises as well as swimming with dolphins trips.

Charter cruises are available from Lyttelton and Akaroa Harbours.

Explore Quail Island

Quail Island features a two hour round-trip walkway, with a number of historical sites to be seen. Highlights include the Volcanic Cliffs, The Wards Settlement, Ballast Quarries, Human and Animal Quarantine Areas, Leprosy Colony and Shipwrecks.

The island also has Antarctic links as it was used by Robert Falcon Scott to train and quarantine dogs, ponies and mules for his Antarctic expeditions in 1901 and 1910. Ernst Shackleton also used the island for this purpose in 1907.

From October to April, the Quail Island ferry departs Lyttelton at 10:20am and returns from Quail Island at 3:30pm, 7 days a week.

In December and January, the ferry departs Lyttelton daily at 10:20am and 12:20pm, returning from Quail Island at 12:30pm and 3:30pm.

There are no scheduled sailings between May and September. Please contact us for a group booking.

Tickets can be purchased on board the ferry. Adult tickets are NZ$30 and child (5-15 years old) tickets are NZ$15. The price includes return ferry transfers and a walking map.

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Diamond Harbour Ferry

The Black Diamond, our Diamond Harbour ferry, was launched in May 2001 and takes only 8 minutes to travel between Lyttelton and Diamond Harbour.

A day trip to Diamond Harbour is great fun for the whole family. Highlights include cycle tracks, the Diamond Harbour Cliff Track and Diamond Harbour Historical Walk, the Charteris Bay Golf Club, coffee or lunch at the Country Store and swimming at Purau Bay.

Our Diamond Harbour ferry departs at least every hour throughout the day. Adult return tickets cost NZ$13.40 and child tickets are NZ$6.70.

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